An official Chucky mobile game was recently announced. Titled Chucky: Slash & Dash, the game lets you take control of everyone's favorite killer doll as he runs through the factory that produces Good Guys dolls. We recently had a chance to interview Peter Dassenko, Director of Product Development at Slimstown Studios, and he gave us plenty of new details on what we can expect:
Thanks for taking the time to talk with us. Can you tell us more about Slimstown Studios and the people behind Chucky: Slash & Dash?
Sure! We’re a mobile game development & publishing startup founded last year. We all have backgrounds working in the game industry, some of us much longer than others.
How did this project come about and was it easy to pitch this mobile title to Universal?
We’d wanted to make a Chucky game for quite a while, and after approaching them shortly after we started Slimstown, we talked about the kind of game we wanted to make. It was really easy working with Universal. We’ve known their licensing team for a while and we were all on the same page from the get-go.
Based on the description of the game, it sounds like it will be similar to those who are familiar with the Temple Run-style games. Is that the type of gameplay we can expect? How will this be different?
This runner has the added element of attacking enemies as you're running. We spent a lot of time on this to make sure it didn't take the player out of the action too much. As you're running, you'll encounter enemies in one of the three running lanes. Getting into the same lane as the enemy will allow you to make a slash motion across the enemy. Once this happens, Chucky will jump on to the enemy - and do what he does!
We also added difficulty levels. I know in some runners it's hard to survive long enough to see all the areas. We wanted to make sure everyone has a chance to get through the areas - and still have a challenge. So there are three difficulties - normal, hard and nightmare. I think the only people that can compete on nightmare at the moment are those of use that worked on it and real runner experts. So we know it's doable, it's just not going to be for everyone.
Our obstacles are also set up a bit differently. In the warehouse there is a moving conveyor belt with Good Guy Doll boxes on it that the player has to jump over. The added difficulty is also that the player will need to jump between the boxes. In the exterior section, the player is actually running at the camera a la Crash Bandicoot. Obstacles - in this case a forklift - come from behind the player and they will need to dodge left or right as well as roll or jump to avoid the obstacles. We're keeping the camera angles varied throughout.
What horror elements and items specific to Child's Play/Chucky have you brought into this game?
We pulled heavily from the factory scene at the end of Child's Play 2. We also have voice clips from Chucky. This isn't really a scary game in this case since you play as the aggressor.
What type of bonus items will players be able to upgrade Chucky with?
Chucky has four different power-ups that players can upgrade with currency. There's an auto-run/kill one that's pretty cool - Chucky will run through the obstacles and attack any enemies in his path! It gets kinda bloody!
Will players have the ability to change the look of Chucky or purchase additional character skins?
We stuck with the “damaged” Chucky look, and to mix it up he has a variety of weapons that can be unlocked as you progress through the game's levels. These include a broken pair of scissors, an axe, and a meat cleaver, to name a few.
How long has this game been in development and when do you expect it to be released?
The game was in development for around 6 months. We worked with some very talented people to get this all put together and I couldn't be more proud of them.
We're aiming to have this game out by Halloween - makes sense, right?!
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"Slimstown Studios announced today its upcoming game Chucky: Slash & Dash, an ‘endless runner’ currently in development for iPhone®, iPad®, iPod touch® and Android™ devices. It is the result of an agreement with Universal Partnerships & Licensing to develop and publish the first officially licensed smartphone and tablet game based on the Chucky movie franchise.
In the game, Chucky is stuck in a never-ending nightmare in which he’s endlessly running through the factory that produces Good Guys dolls. Players will control Chucky while sprinting through the factory floor, the catwalks, the warehouse, or even outside, and will need to avoid conveyor belts, forklifts, acid pools, barrels and other obstacles. Chucky can also eliminate security guards patrolling the factory using his classic knife or other more outlandish weapons like a cleaver, screwdriver, or hatchet. As they play, gamers will collect batteries that can be used to purchase in-game items or power-ups, such as a double battery bonus, a fast start, or extra lives that can extend a run after dying."
We've included a short teaser below and you can learn more at:
After spending more than 10 years as a consultant in the tech and entertainment industry, Jonathan James launched Daily Dead in 2010 to share his interest in horror and sci-fi. Since then, it has grown into an online magazine with a staff of writers that provide daily news, reviews, interviews, and special features.
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